American kestrel.

You can just tell stuff is about to bust forth. You can feel it in the chill air that can’t hang on much longer. You can see it in the ferns unspooling from the forest floor. You can smell it, taste it, hear it in the voices of the yellow-rumped warblers as they leave their perches and flutter up to catch tiny flies.

Hermit thrush.

You can tell from the tiny flies.

Today was gray, drizzly, and not very warm to start. I worked, had an appointment, worked some more. Finally Jack and I made our way to Beech Hill for our daily hike. Thrushes and crows, a solitary screaming broad-winged hawk winging high toward the north, the croak of a raven, the twitters of tree swallows. At the summit, I spied at least three kestrels—possibly more—including two in the same little oak tree. Most seem to be male. I suppose the hill’s barren slopes afford them plenty of hunting territory. They weren’t hovering today—just perching on the tips of the branches of small trees, casting about for tiny prey.

Savannah sparrow, song sparrow, towhee. The day warmed up toward the end of it.

And tonight is clear. A nearly full moon rose over the bay. A chorus of spring peepers comes from the wetland across the road.

It won’t be long. You can just feel it.

Beech Hill List
Beginning at 4:15 p.m., I hiked the wooded trail.

1. Eastern phoebe**
2. Hermit thrush
3. American crow*
4. American robin**
5. Broad-winged hawk
6. Tufted titmouse**
7. Herring gull*
8. Black-capped chickadee**
9. Common raven (v)
10. Tree swallow (v)
11. Yellow-rumped warbler
12. Eastern towhee
13. Song sparrow**
14. Savannah sparrow
15. American kestrel
16. Northern flicker (v)
17. Northern cardinal** (v)
18. Hairy woodpecker (v)

Elsewhere

19. House sparrow (v)
20. European starling
21. Mallard

v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere